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The 83-year-old Sarnia woman has just heard the good news: Bill C-597 — an effort to turn Remembrance Day into a statutory holiday across Canada — reached second recording in the House of Commons Monday night.

Scarborough Southwest NDP MP Dan Harris first introduced the private members' bill in May, and if it passes a vote in the house Wednesday, it will be headed to the senate.

"I'm in the pink today, for sure," says McNeill, fighting off tears welling up in her eyes. "You can quote me on that."

If Nov. 11 finally becomes a statutory holiday across Canada, McNeill's grassroots campaigning would have been all worthwhile.

For the last 25 years, the retired Sarnia LCBO worker has fought tooth-and-nail to make Nov. 11 a statutory day of remembrance across Canada.

She was first rallied into action when the LCBO informed its workers in 1989 that its stores would remain open on Nov. 11.

But despite his private members' bill passing second reading, he says it didn't end up in front of a standing committee thanks to the office of then-premier Mike Harris.

Despite two decades' worth of setbacks, McNeill — whose two sons and late husband served in the military— said she remains confident she will see Remembrance Day returned to its statutory holiday status in Ontario during her lifetime.

After watching the recent funeral of Hamilton Cpl. Nathan Cirillo, McNeill she was left with the sense that Canadians had united for the occasion.

She believes the death of Cirillo, who was recently killed standing guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Ottawa, will prompt Canadians once again to unite and push for a statutory Remembrance Day across the country.

She told Sarnia-Lambton MP Pat Davidson's office as much when she recently signed a memorial book in honour of the late soldier.

"I said, 'This man is going to give us a (statutory) day of remembrance.'"